The Creature Equals Culture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z1b2kVD--o

                I saw the movie quite some time ago when it first came out in the theaters. After searching for a clip, I came across the one above where Neytiri shows Jake how to ride the 'dragon' for the first time. The scene, in my opinion, is very enveloping as well as thought-provoking. The concept of having the tail connect with the creature parallels the connection that humans today, have with society. It seems that humans are lacking the connection with today's culture and world; where as, the avatars have a direct connection with their environment. They are extremely 'nsync' with their surroundings, in addition to knowledgeable about what peril to avoid. Humans, do not have that ability. It seems that people are always getting mixed up in the wrong thing. We do not have a tail that connects us to our environment. It is up to us to figure it out. The whole idea parallels the complexity of today's American culture.  Indirectly speaking, the clip argues society from a rhetoric perspective. It shows how we should be, feel, think and live; and that is with a connection. Whether the connection is to something or someone, humans desire companionship. The dragon is fierce, wild and unpredictable. Humans often thrust themselves into a connection with, lets say, a significant other, unaware of what the outcome will be. Politically speaking, the clip advances specific ideas and suppresses others. The first thing that Neytiri says is "do not look in her eye" (reference to the creature). The creature seems to be the epitome of culture. This quote can seemingly be translated into humans avoiding cultural danger head on. In other words, one of the most powerful emotions we have is vulnerability. We cannot control it. 'Not looking something in the eye,' correlates to strength: the ability to avoid being vulnerable. Vulnerability correlates to weakness. Unfortunately, humans lack the direct connection that avatars have with their culture, leading to a more vulnerable lifestyle. Emotions cloud our judgment, by suppressing these feelings, society may be that much easier to take on. The creature, signifying culture, and Neytiri's attitude toward riding the creature (tackling culture) make the audience feel empowered to do the exact same with their own lives. The creature swooping down signifies the 'bumps in the road' that everybody faces, but the fact that Neytiri rides with confidence, proves inspiring and thrilling that we, as humans, can do that exact same thing, and it is up to us to develop a connection to our culture, and tackle it head on, with confidence and inspiration.